Dorothea Lieven

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Countess, then HSH Princess Dorothea von Lieven (Russian: Дарья Христофоровна Ливен, Daria Khristoforovna Liven), neé Benckendorff (December 30, 1785 — January 27, 1857), was a Russian noblewoman, the wife of Prince Khristofor Andreyevich Lieven, the Russian ambassador to London between 1812 and 1834.

[edit] Biography

Dorothea Benckendorff was born into the family of Khristofor Benckendorff, (Infantry-General and Governor of Riga Governorate) on December 30 (December 17 Old Style), 1785. She was educated in Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens in Saint Petersburg, and one year before finishing the institution, she was assigned as a maid of honour to Empress Maria Fyodorovna of Russia. In 1800, some months after finishing studies, Empress Maria married Dorothea to Prince Christopher von Lieven. Princess Lieven spent the first years of her marriage life in Russia, and in 1810 left abroad as her husband was appointed as an envoy to Berlin, and later in 1812 ambassador in London.

In London, being in touch with renowned statesmen, Princess Daria Christophorovna Lieven developed an interest in politics, especially due to her friendship with Klemens Wenzel von Metternich. A salon she maintained in London was the most fashionable in the city. Through that salon, thanks to her attractiveness and intelligence and despite her low erudition and poor education, the princess established herself as an influential person in political affairs.

In 1834 she had to return to Russia as her husband was appointed educator to the heir to the throne, tsesarevitch Alexander Nikolaevich. But unsatisfied with her life, Dorothea Lieven left for Europe under the pretext of changing climate because of health problems. She stayed in Baden-Baden, but finally settled in Paris, where her salon rivaled the circle of Madame Recamier, inflicting criticism of the latter's admirer, Chateaubriand, in his Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe.

In 1837 started her friendship with François Guizot, that lasted for the rest of her life. They became very close after the death of Princess Lieven's husband in 1838.

Daria Christophorovna Lieven died on January 27 (January 15 of Old Style), 1857 in Paris. She was buried in the family estate Mezoten near Mitava.

[edit] Legacy

Lieven, the attractive wife of the Russian ambassador to Germany, not only chatted about high society with the visitors of her salon, but also managed to gather important political information. Today she is considered to be the first Russian female spy.

Princess Lieven caustically reported the daily life of the British aristocracy in her letters to the Empress Dowager, Minister for Foreign Affairs Karl Nesselrode and to her own brother, Russian police chief Alexander von Benckendorff. Her vast correspondence has been collected and published several times in English, incurring the censure of Duke of Wellington:

"I have no doubt the inclination of the lady to do this country all the mischief in her power in return for much kindness and good will with which she was treated during a long residence here".

Princess Lieven was one of the central figures in the implementation of the Holy Alliance politics. The intelligence information gathered helped Alexander I to work out Russian position at the Congress of Vienna in 1814. In 1818 and 1822 she was invited personally by Alexander I to participate in the Congress of Aachen and Congress of Verona of the Holy Alliance.

[edit] External links and references